Spring Valley Mayor Demeza Delhomme has summarily stripped Village Trustee Vilair Fonvil of his title, claiming that Clerk Kathryn Ball who had sworn in Fonvil was not properly appointed to her position and thus all of her official actions during her brief tenure are legally moot. Ironically, it was Delhomme who had appointed the clerk without a vote by the Board of Trustees, earning a rebuke from the County Department of Personnel.

In December Delhomme appointed longtime community activist Vilair Fonvil to his vacated seat on the Board of Trustees and named him deputy mayor. It wasn’t long until Fonvil was on the outs with Delhomme and the mayor stripped him of his deputy mayor title, a move which Fonvil contests is illegal in and of itself.

Miguelino Joseph was announced as the replacement for Fonvil, but legal challenges are expected against Delhomme’s actions. Delhomme also appointed Trustee Anthony Leon to be his deputy mayor.

The village’s attorney Dennis Lynch of Feerick, MacCartney and Lynch told the Journal News that Ball was legally qualified to swear in Fonvil. Prior to being named clerk, she had been a longtime deputy clerk.